What Is a Travel Nurse? The Realities of Travel Nursing

By Dr. Stacey Malinowski  |  07/09/2024

The nursing shortage is not a new phenomenon and was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, the annual number of people leaving the nursing profession and retiring already produced attrition rates that created a need for over 175,000 new nurses every year in the healthcare industry, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).

In our current, post-COVID era, many hospitals across the United States still struggle to recruit and retain talented staff nurses on a permanent basis. During the pandemic, there was a great exodus of many staff nurses from permanent positions to travel nurse positions, due to the higher pay rates and better working conditions offered to travel nurses.

Pre-pandemic estimates suggested that 3-4% of nurses were travel nurses, according to Vox. That number has since peaked and returned to near baseline levels, but there is still quite the demand to fill open travel nursing positions.

So, what exactly is a travel nurse? A "travel nurse" is a registered nurse who, instead of working full-time for one healthcare organization, is an employee of a nursing staffing agency. Travel nurses are used to fill both short-term and long-term vacancies quickly, and they may accept contracts from anywhere between 4 and 13 weeks (and sometimes longer) from travel nurse agencies.

Travel assignments may be local to where a travel nurse lives, or they may be located anywhere within the United States. Travel nurses can choose a geographical location that is of interest to them. For instance, they can opt to work in a major city or choose nursing work in a more rural area.

It’s also worth noting that travel nurses do not work exclusively in hospital settings; they may report to other types of healthcare facilities, such as those places that provide long-term care services. Travel nurses are expected to have the same healthcare skills and perform the same duties as any other registered nurse who works in a healthcare facility.

Almost every nursing specialty can find travel positions; however, travel nursing agencies may be able to provide higher wages for specialties that are in in high demand. Currently, there is a strong need for registered nurses who can fill open positions and work in areas such as:

• The cardiac cath lab
• The intensive care unit
• The labor and delivery unit
• Pediatrics
• The operating room

What Are the Benefits of Becoming a Travel Nurse?

Being a travel nurse has many benefits to consider. First, there is the travel nurse salary, which is often different than the salary offered to non-travel nurses.

Many nurses may also be able to get full benefits packages through their staffing agencies. These packages often include health and dental benefits and a housing stipend.

Additionally, there is tremendous flexibility in being a travel nurse. In this line of work, you can pick when and where you want to accept an assignment from a travel nursing agency.

If you are thinking of permanently relocating, travel nursing can give you an opportunity to explore new parts of the country you may wish to consider. It can provide you with a chance to see new places, connect with friends and family members, and enjoy the activities of daily living to a greater degree.

Furthermore, many travel nurses find that working on short-term contracts with a travel nurse agency allows them to focus on patient care, without the distraction of healthcare organization politics. 

What Are Some Drawbacks of Being a Travel Nurse?

Be sure to do your homework before choosing a travel nurse agency to work with, because not all agencies are created equally. Before you become a travel nurse, you should confirm that you and your benefits will be protected during downtimes or while you’re between contracts.

Travel nurses are expected to be very proficient nurses. As a result, you may receive a very short orientation to the new unit or healthcare organization you join. You may also find that you have little time to decide which assignments to accept, as travel nurse agencies work to fill vacancies quickly for their healthcare organization clients.

Once you arrive at a healthcare organization, you might notice that travel nurses are often first to be reassigned to “float” to other units when needed. There is a possibility you may work on a different unit from the one for which you were originally hired. For example, as an Intensive Care Unit registered nurse, you may be moved to the Telemetry or Progressive Care Unit before the permanent nursing staff is moved to that unit. 

Because travel nurses are contract employees within a healthcare facility, contracts can be cancelled, leaving you without short-term assignments. This occurrence is rare, but it can happen.

Also, you may find yourself in healthcare settings that are not a good fit for you. Always be familiar with your contract and know your rights.

What Are the Steps to Becoming a Travel Nurse?

There are several steps involved in becoming a travel nurse. First, be sure to explore several staffing agencies. If you work with travel nurses, ask them about their travel experiences and especially with their current agencies. 

Second, find out the minimum amount of nursing experience required to become a travel nurse. Many agencies will prefer you to have at least two years of experience as a registered nurse, but this requirement may vary from one organization to the next.

Third, determine if and when you will be eligible to receive benefits. For example:

• Will the travel nurse agency offer you housing or have someone who can help you navigate a new geographical area? 
• How long can you go between contracts without losing your benefits?
• Will you receive travel reimbursements or are those costs calculated into the hourly pay? You should always ask these questions up front.

Fourth, find out the terms of the job description, the pay scale and compensation package. They should be clear, but find out if they vary from one temporary assignment to another. Ask about the breakdown between taxable income versus benefits that may not be taxed, so you are not surprised at the end of the year.

Fifth, consider your licensure and certifications. Do you have an RN license from a compact state, or will you need to obtain licensure in other states as well?

Be sure to ask your prospective agency if they have someone who assists travel nurses with this requirement or if they offer reimbursement for the costs associated with maintaining multiple licenses. You may also want to check the requirements of any states you would like to work in to see if continuing education will be required in the future for licensure renewal.

Ask your travel nursing agency how you can renew your basic life support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), and any other certifications you have while you are on the road.

You can also ask about the types of competency tests that will be required at the healthcare facilities where you will be working. Many healthcare facilities may require travel nurses to take medication knowledge exams or dysthymia exams to demonstrate their knowledge.

Sixth, consider your education. While a bachelor’s degree in nursing is not always required for travel nursing, it may be preferred by some healthcare agencies.

For instance, if you do not have your bachelor of science in nursing (BSN), can you apply for a travel nurse position with an associate degree if your BSN is in progress?

If you are currently in school for your BSN or MSN degree and are considering becoming a travel nurse, check with your university to ensure you will still be eligible to attend their program from another location. For example, you may not be able to complete an in-person practicum in a state where you are traveling if your university has not gotten approval from that state’s Board of Nursing.

Although the demand for travel nursing is not as great right now as it was during the height of the pandemic, there will always be a need for nurses – especially short-term nurses – who can fill immediate, open positions. If you like adventure and meeting new people, travel nursing can be a very satisfying experience.

Nursing Degrees at American Military University

If you are a licensed registered nurse, you may be interested in exploring the educational possibilities at American Military University (AMU). AMU offers a range of nursing degrees accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), including:

• An online bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN)
• An online master’s degree in nursing (MSN)
• An online RN to MSN degree

For more details about the nursing degrees and concentrations offered by AMU, visit our program page.